


String of Fate

by that_one_Maid_of_Space



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, F/M, Humanstuck, I dont bother with pesterlog intros so, M/M, POV Multiple, Red String of Fate, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Typing Quirks, Work In Progress, dave john karkat and sollux are roommates, davekat is really the main focus here, more tags and characters later, sorrynotsorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-01-15 01:58:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21245624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_one_Maid_of_Space/pseuds/that_one_Maid_of_Space
Summary: Everyone has a soulmate. It's a fact of life, made indisputable by the slim red string tied to your finger from birth. You can't even remember when you first learned about the phenomenon; it's just something that you know to be true. Something you learned so young that it's ingrained in who you are. You have a soulmate. Someone who, according to fate, is a perfect match for your particular brand of bullshit. Weird.Inspired bythis postbyhomeiswherethestuckis, akaJava_bean





	1. Weird

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've published in like five+ years, and my first ever homestuck fic. I hope y'all like it. Please let me know if you notice any issues with it. I'd love to have the chance to fix any errors.

Everyone has a soulmate. It's a fact of life, made indisputable by the slim red string tied to your finger from birth. You can't even remember when you first learned about the phenomenon; it's just something that you know to be true. Something you learned so young that it's ingrained in who you are. You have a soulmate. Someone who, according to fate, is a perfect match for your particular brand of bullshit. 

Weird 

Despite all that, though, you've never put that much stock into it. Of course you're interested to find out who is on the other side of the string, but you get by just fine in the dark. You have other things to occupy your time. Things like photography and sick beats. Things like sword fighting and birds and dead things. You have plenty of things to occupy your time without adding in the stress of finding your soulmate and having to work to untangle the mess of a string attached to your fingers. And besides, you're moving this summer, probably to be even farther from your soulmate for the next few years as you work toward your degree. Choosing your intended major wasn't hard; anthropology is something that's always fascinated you. Even making the decision to move across the country wasn't that hard. Anything to get away from Bro, and the school happened to also be the same one your best friend was going to attend, so you can't even begin to regret choosing it. 

Even the money aspect wasn't a huge deal, fortunately. You were a good student (despite your dubious attendance records) and managed to snag a couple of scholarships. And what tuition remained, Bro had offered to pay out of pocket, insisting it was a graduation gift and not to worry about it. Apparently the puppet business is booming. 

Fucking weird. 

No, the hard part is going to be in August, when you actually have to move. Washington is much colder than Texas, and it's gonna be a bitch to get used to. Not to mention having to drive all your crap across the country. 

Regardless, all you would have to worry about would be paying for your own food and necessities, as housing was included intuition, in the form of a dorm shared with three other people. You had applied for housing as soon as you found out you and John had both been accepted to the same school, and he had insisted on getting a four-person dorm because "Dave, it has its own kitchen and bathroom!" You had cautiously agreed, only because John already knew the other people you'd be rooming with and he swore they were cool. Which by, John's standards, inevitably meant they were pretty much the opposite of cool.

\-----

You stretch and pop your back upon arriving in the Evergreen State, eyeing the clouds warily, as though they would suddenly morph from the current fluffy white masses into something more sinister. But after a second, let that thought die, opting instead to grab your room key from the RA and begin carrying boxes into your new dorm. John is waiting in the dorm's (tiny) communal area with a smile when you open the door, greeting you with a hug and insisting on helping you carry in your shit. 

Once everything is resting safely on the floor of you and John's room, and your car has been moved to park out of the way, John takes it upon himself to order pizza and invite your new roommates to socialize, setting up the TV and pulling out four Wii remotes, along with Smash Bros and Mario Kart. The pizza arrives before your roommates, who were apparently out wandering the campus. By the time they get there, you've already inhaled two slices of pepperoni pizza, and are halfway through your third round of Smash, fighting back a grin as John gets frustrated by how easily you're kicking his ass. It really shouldn't surprise him; you've played games online together before and he never beat you then, either.

You hear them before they open the door, one of them seems to be ranting about something, his voice loud and grating, and you glance up when the door swings open. And for the first time since meeting him, you lose a round to John. His celebration is cut short when he notices the tension in the room; the way you have gone shock still, and the shorter of your new roommates seems to be trying to impersonate a fish with how his eyes have gone wide and his mouth keeps opening and closing, no sound escaping. But you can't focus on any of that. Your eyes are glued to his finger, where you can see a thin string of red, tied up tight and connecting to where your string falls haphazardly at your feet. 

Very fucking weird.


	2. Simple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat's POV

As you stand in the doorway to your new dorm, you can't help but stare in shock. Of course you'd known that meeting your soulmate in college was relatively common, and you'd been secretly hoping that you'd be so lucky. You had not, however, expected to find yourself tethered to John Egbert’s douchey best friend. You had known you'd be rooming with the guy, and John had mentioned that he was a great guy “once you get to know him,” which is always code for ”major douchewaffle.” It wasn't supposed to be an issue though. The way the dorm was set up, it had a small kitchen and bathroom, and a living room, surrounded on either side by a bedroom with two twin beds. So John and Sargeant Douchebag were supposed to share one side, and you and Sollux could keep to your own side. 

Simple. 

Unfortunately, the string wrapped around his finger complicated things. After a moment of terse silence, you hear Sollux cough beside you. 

“Uh, you alright, KK?” At that, your eyes snap away from the string connecting you to the blond boy and flit around the room nervously. 

“yea sure, why the fuck wouldn't I be?” you ask, brushing off the last 30 seconds as if nothing had happened. As if you hadn't just been proverbially knocked on your ass in shock. Sollux raises a brow but doesn't question you. 

“Okay,” John’s voice seems to shake blondie out of his reverie, breaking through the last of the tension in the room. “So Dave, this is Karkat and Sollux. Guys, this is Dave!” 

Dave. What a fucking basic name. Of all the names your soulmate could have, yours is apparently named Dave. 

“‘Sup,” Dave greets, waving with just two fingers, almost like a peace sign. You roll your eyes and grab a piece of pizza, settling into a beanbag chair on the opposite side of the room from the blond. Accepting the Wii remote when Sollux passes it to you, you settle in to play Mario Kart as John switches out the disc. In general, you're not great at video games, but Mario Kart is the exception. And as the game boots up, there's a competitive air in the room, and you suddenly feel that you have to win this game, to prove yourself, however ridiculous it may sound. 

So when the race starts, you pull all the stops you know, fighting as dirty as possible. Leaving John behind is child’s play, and you manage to pass Sollux late in the second lap, which has him muttering a complaint. It's pure luck that you get a blue shell from one of the last boxes, knocking Dave out of his first place spot right before the finish line, and claiming the rank for yourself with a whoop of victory. Dave slumps in his seat as his name appears in the second-place ranking, tailed closely by Sollux. John comes in sixth, after some of the bots, but laughing all the same. 

“Wow Dave, finally someone who can beat you at this dumb game.” Dave flips him off in return, going back to sulking, and apparently mumbling under his breath by the way his lips move. John just shoves at his shoulder and reaches for another slice of pizza, queueing the next race. 

After about ten more races, it's clear that Dave is the best at the game, but Sollux has won two rounds, and you've won three, exploiting all of the shortcuts and one particularly heinous glitch you spent hours mastering one afternoon. John came in second once, which he took as a victory. Dave looks somewhat sour, as if he's not used to losing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! Happy Wednesday!


	3. It's Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave's POV

Turns out your soulmate and his friend are both surprisingly good at Mario Kart. You're not used to losing, and it stings a bit when John rubs it in after the first round. You flip him off and grumble to yourself, but otherwise, don't cause a scene. You might be a sore loser, but you're not a complete asshole. After playing a handful more rounds, you admit to yourself that Karkat is pretty impressive, and that glitch in Rainbow Road is absolutely a pro move that even you wouldn't risk trying. How long did it take him to perfect that? You shake the question away, renewing your focus on kicking ass and taking names. 

By the time everyone loses interest in the game, you've only won half of the races. You must just be off your game because of the shock of the events from earlier tonight. Yeah. You'll be back to winning all the matches next time you play. 

With the game safely back in its case, your roommates are all trying to agree on a movie to watch, which you take as your cue to duck out. 

“I'm out for the night, y'all. I've gotta unpack tomorrow so I’m callin' it. Night night sleep tight and all that.” You smirk and wave, blowing them a kiss for good measure. 

John is the only one to return your sentiment with a quick callback of “g’night.” Sollux just sorts and Karkat seems to be pointedly looking away. As you turn, you catch him glancing at his hand and following the line of string to where it’s knotted around your pinky. His eyes flicker to yours for the briefest second before he looks away again, expression clouded and hesitant. Huh. 

As you lay down, you try not to think about any of it. And you fail. You hadn't even really considered the possibility of meeting your soulmate, let alone sharing a dorm with them. Not to even mention you had assumed your soulmate would be a girl. The universe is absolutely fucking with you right now. Not that Karkat is completely unbearable. He’s loud, sure, and he seemed standoffish, but he was also able to kick your ass at Mario Kart, which makes him interesting at the very least. With that thought, you roll over, content to drift off with the promise to yourself that tomorrow you'll talk to Karkat. 

\-----

Talking to Karkat is easier said than done. Turns out the guy is a major recluse. Sollux met his soulmate yesterday while he and Karkat were out exploring the campus, and they had set up to meet for lunch today, so he's out, and Karkat hasn't left his room to the best of your knowledge. You shrug it off though, leaving your room's door open as you and John unpack boxes of your belongings and put them away. The biggest nuisance is your music equipment which is large and cumbersome. John swears he doesn't mind you setting up an extra table for it along the wall that is shared between you. For now, you leave most of it in the boxes under the school-provided desk, only setting up your portable soundboard and laptop. 

By the time you finish unpacking, it's almost 6:00 and John decides that he wants to make dinner instead of ordering in again. He invites you to go grocery shopping with him, but you wave him off, preferring to stay in and work on a mix you had started mentally composing while you were driving yesterday. You settle in front of your soundboard and plug in your headphones, a bulky pair of baby blue Skullcandys with Rainbow Dash adorning one side. They'd been a gift from your Bro, which you'd started using immediately for their ironic value. 

Only a few minutes into mixing, you notice a movement of to your left; a quick flash of red as the string tied to you is disturbed. Headphones still on, you glance up, quirking up your lip into a half-smile as Karkat warily enters your room. You see his closed fist bounce off the doorframe twice in a knock that you can't hear. Hands rising quickly, you pull the headphones from your ears and force out a nervous "Hey," desperately trying not to sound as anxious as you feel.

"What are we doing about this?" Karkat asks sans preamble, gesturing to the string hanging in knots between you on the floor.

"Uh," you mumble, "what do you suggest? Because I'm honestly sorta confused, like I wasn't really expecting..." You trail off, unsure how to finish the thought without sounding like an ass. Karkat's eyes flash for a brief moment with... Hurt? But he buries it too quickly behind anger for you to analyze it.

"Yeah, ok, I get it. You didn't exactly win the fucking soulmate lottery." He gestures broadly to himself, shuffling his feet in discomfort. "So we can just, not. It's fine. I'll try not to be in your fucking way." And with that, he storms out of your room before you can even make sense of his anger. Did he think you meant that you were disappointed to be tethered to him? Are you? Before you can even stand up to follow him, John comes back with his groceries and calls you out to hang out while he cooks. 

John ends up making fajitas, and Sollux gets back from his date while John's cooking. Everyone sits down to eat with Netflix ignored in the background as Sollux lisps his way through telling you about his afternoon. His soulmate is apparently also studying anthropology, so you'll probably share some classes with her. No one else has much to say about their afternoons. You and John had spent the day unpacking and Karkat had apparently finished reading some novel, the nerd. After eating, John pulls out a small box of games and everyone settles on Cards Against Humanity. Throughout the game, you're careful to keep plenty of space between yourself and Karkat, not wanting to end up in a position where, by all metrics, some part of you should touch, but inexplicably doesn't. You glance at the string between you, at the snarled mass of knots on your side, mirrored by the one on his side. How are you supposed to sort through that much bullshit?

When everyone parts for the night, you feel uneasy, hung up on the inscrutable look Karkat gave you after he'd chosen your card during a round that had made him laugh particularly hard. 

It's fine. There's another day before classes start up, you'll talk to him and clear the air tomorrow. No problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, getting into the longer chapters now!


	4. It Doesn't Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat's POV

The conversation with Dave was like a stab in the chest, but really, you should have expected it. You knew before you even saw him that he was a douchebag. Why would being your soulmate change that? Of course he looked upset. He was probably expecting to be tied to someone attractive. Someone who didn't spend their time watching romcoms. But knowing that didn't do much to dull the pain of confirmation. Of hearing him end his sentence in ambiguity. “I wasn't really expecting…” expecting what? Expecting a failure? Expecting someone so obnoxious? The list could go on, but you stop yourself before you can dwell on it, pulling yourself out of your own thoughts to join the raucous group in the living room. Sollux talks through all of dinner about his soulmate and how they've already started untangling their ties, sorting through some surface issues and growing closer to being able to touch after only one date. 

Dave perks up when Sollux mentions Aradia’s field of study, mentioning that hey, maybe they'll have some classes together. Huh. Anthropology wasn't something you'd have assumed he'd be interested in. Whatever. It doesn't matter. He's not interested in you. 

When everyone finishes eating, John pulls out Cards Against Humanity, and deals everyone a hand. The game is easy enough to grasp and before long, everyone is laughing mindlessly at the stupid, inappropriate cards. You can't help the wave of emotion when, halfway through the game, it's your turn to pick the winning card and the choices are all particularly good. The card you choose as your favorite, though, making you laugh so hard you were wheezing, had been Dave's. He accepted his winnings with a smirk and a nod, moving on even as you floundered to reign in your expression. Even when you win the game at the end of the night, the victory is only semisweet. 

It. Doesn't. Matter. 

He's an asshole, you remind yourself, allowing it to sink into every crevice of your mind and cementing it there. You decide right then that you're not going to let it get to you. You're soulmate is an ass, end of story. With a sigh, you fall into your bed and into a dreamless sleep.

When you wake in the morning, you grab a granola bar and leave the dorm as quietly as you can, walking contentedly toward the campus library with your favorite novel tucked safely into your backpack. Your footsteps are quiet as you find the most hidden reading area, settling down and opening the book to page one for the umpteenth time. 

As expected, you lose track of time while you read, and Sollux's text reaches you when you're only four pages from the end.

TA: Hey, l02er, c0me eat wiith u2.  
TA: Where even are y0u?  
CG: DONT WORRY ABOUT WHERE I AM, ILL BE BACK SOON.  
TA: Y0u’re at the library, aren’t y0u?  
CG:...  
TA: Y0u t0tally are  
TA: 2ee y0u 200n 

Rolling your eyes, you pack up your book and push yourself into your feet. The walk back to the dorm is calm, and the ride up the elevator passes in near-silence. Inside the dorm, it's a bit more chaotic. your roommates seem to be arguing loudly over something, and when you glance at the TV, you notice Nic Cage's face. Ah. Ganging up on John for his Shitty movie taste, then. Classic. 

You walk past the chaos and into the kitchen, dishing up some of the soup that John made. By the time you get back to the living room, John is leaned back into the couch, pouting. His face brightens upon seeing you, hope lighting in his eyes like a candle.  
"Nic Cage isn't so bad, right Karkat?" You're glad you haven't started eating yet, because if you'd had food in your mouth, you may have accidentally spit it out.  
"John, what the fuck? Nic Cage is a fucking joke, and you know it. And you've asked me about this before, I can't even fathom why you'd think my opinion would've changed." Sollux and Dave both grin at your response, clearly approving of your (empirically correct) opinion. 

John slouches back down into his seat with an indignant sigh, his eyes moving pointedly back to the TV screen. With a shrug, you pull your book out of your backpack, flipping back to where you left off before you'd been interrupted. It only takes you a few minutes to finish the book, and by the time you do, you've also finished your soup. Wordlessly, you toss your bowl into the sink and walk back through the living room, continuing past your roommates and into the room you share with Sollux. 

You have effectively split the room in two. Your half is mostly organized, only a few books and DVDs clutter your desk. Sollux's side is also relatively clean, but his outfit from yesterday lies in a forgotten heap by his bed, and empty energy drink cans already clutter his desk. His computer is open and running some program you don't recognize, lines of code traversing the screen too quickly to read.

You toss your book onto your desk, resolved to pick it up and shelve it after your classes tomorrow. For now, you just pack your textbooks and laptop into your backpack and set it down next to the door, getting ready for bed and settling in with Netflix pulled up on your phone. You might have an 8AM class, but 10:00 is still too early to actually sleep.

\-----

When you wake up in the morning, you're pleasantly surprised to find the dorm silent. Sollux is still sleeping (lucky bastard doesn't have any early morning classes) and John and Dave are nowhere to be seen. Whether that means they've already left for their classes, or they start later like Sollux, you don't really care. You're content to start the coffee pot and take a shower. By the time you get out (fully dressed for the day because you're not some idiot who forgets his clothes in a communal living situation) John and Dave have taken up residence in the kitchen, each sitting with a mug of coffee in their hands while the coffee machine chugs dutifully along, dripping out more caffeine at an irregular rate. You drop off your towel and laundry in your room, returning with your backpack and travel mug, filling it up with coffee and a couple tablespoons of sugar.

"There's creamer in the fridge," Dave offers, gesturing lazily with his left hand. Your eyes only watch the string for a moment before you shake your head and mutter out a "no, thanks" and walk past him to the door, timing your departure to get to class five minutes early.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is how I'm doing messaging because I'm lazy and refuse to accommodate pesterlog formatting. If y'all are bothered by it, lemme know and I can put in some actual effort. Honestly, though, I kinda like it. I think it gets the point across well enough. And using the typing quirks is actually a lot more fun than I was expecting.


	5. What do you Want?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave's POV

The sound of the shower running rouses you from sleeping. Your eyes fly open and you have to take a moment to remember where you are and who you live with now. Your Bro isn’t here. He's two thousand miles away. You look up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to convince your heart to slow down to a reasonable rate. Breathe in. Breathe out. A glance at the clock reveals that your alarm would have woken you in half an hour anyway, so you roll out of bed, pulling on a sweatshirt and your sunglasses, and padding into the kitchen on socked feet. You help yourself to the coffee percolating on the counter, courtesy of whichever roommate is currently showering. A glance at your hand and onward informs you that it's Karkat. Huh. Weird superpower. 

You had meant to talk to him yesterday, but you didn't even see him until after dinner was ready. He had come in while you and Sollux were giving John shit for his mancrush on Nic Cage, loudly taken your side, and then he ate silently and went to his room. And that was that. No chance to pin him down for a conversation. And just as you're thinking now might be a good time, (once he gets out of the shower, of course,) John comes out and follows your lead, taking a cup of coffee and sitting across from you. Glancing behind him, you note that the pot is now practically empty, and sputtering out the last drops of coffee, so you stand and add more water to the heating chamber, scooping some more grounds on top of the ones already in the filter (a trick you learned a few years ago to stretch the life of your coffee beans,) and replacing the lid.

As the machine comes back to life, dripping out more caffeine, you hear the shower shut off. Only a few minutes later, Karkat steps out. He’s wearing a dark pair of jeans that bunch up slightly at his shoes, and a grey sweater whose sleeves cover all but the tips of his fingers. His hair is still damp from the shower, and he’s running his fingers through it, apparently trying to tame the wavy mess that normally rests on his head. For some reason, you doubt his efforts will be very successful. You watch him as he walks into his room, careful to only move your eyes, and not your whole head.

When he comes back a moment later, he has his backpack slung over his shoulder and a large thermos in his hands. With a quick glance at you and John, he walks past to fill his thermos with coffee. Reaching out an olive branch, you let him know that there’s creamer in the fridge and he grumbles out something that sounds like he’s probably not interested, and walks promptly out the door. Well then. So much for that, you guess. John clears his throat, and you focus on him. Shit, did he notice something was off?

“So, we should probably get ready. Our class starts in an hour.” Oh yeah. Freshman Seminar, which you and John have together at 9.

“Yeah, cool. Let’s uh, yeah.” Fuck.

After your verbal slip-up, you force yourself to focus on getting ready and getting to class. You end up arriving early, which only gives you more time to think. What is the point anyway? Even if you can get on speaking terms with Karkat, will that change anything? The guy seems perpetually angry, or, at the very least, perpetually disgruntled. And why should you even bother, anyway? So you can talk about all the ways you’re fucked up as a person, so that some stupid trick of fate will allow you to touch the guy who is supposedly the best foil to yourself? Fat chance. Really, you’re perfectly fine without all that psychoanalysis. You get more than you want of it from Rose, anyway.

That thought sparks another, and before you can stop yourself, your phone is in your hand and you’re tapping out a message to the girl in question.

TG: rose  
TG: so  
TG: what do you know about soulmates  
TG: or like  
TG: shit  
TT: I know quite a lot, actually.  
TT: I actually met mine last week. Why are you asking?  
TG: oh thats great awesome i was just curious i guess like what happens if your soulmate hates you or like  
TG: are there ever mistakes  
TT: Not that I’ve heard of, no. Are you having problems with your soulmate, Dave?  
TG: so see heres the thing  
TG: i met my soulmate and they seem to like  
TG: hate me  
TG: out of nowhere  
TG: like yeah ok maybe i fucked up our first conversation  
TG: but like  
TG: i didnt think it was THAT bad  
TT: Knowing you, Dave, it may well have been “that bad.” What happened?  
TG: i just accidentally implied that i wasnt expecting someone like him and now it seems like he might be ignoring me  
TT: He? Hmm.  
TG: not the time rose  
TT: Yes, I suppose you’re right. We can revisit that particular conversation later. For now, though, I think the question is this  
TT: What were you expecting?  
TT: And what do you want to happen next?  
TG: i dont know rose for fucks sake i hadnt even considered that i might meet my soulmate for like  
TG: a thousand more years  
TG: i guess  
TG: maybe i want to get to know him  
TG: mostly i just dont want things to be so tense  
TG: im not super cozy with the idea of exposing all my shit to a stranger but i wouldnt mind talking to him just  
TG: as a dude  
TG: a bro  
TT: So, sort things out with him. Let him know you didn’t mean to offend him and that you’d like to start getting to know him as a friend.  
TT: And now I have a class to attend, so I have to go for now. We can talk more later.  
TG: yeah ok bye

\-----

Monday’s classes pass without incident. And Tuesday’s. And the rest of the week. At the end of the week, John insists on celebrating the first week of classes. So you and your three roommates, plus Aradia all crowd onto the couch and take shots of Fireball (supplied graciously by Aradia’s older sister.) Somehow, you have a feeling that, emboldened by alcohol, tonight will bring some sort of turning point. Whether it will be good or bad, though, you can’t tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, sweet sensible Rose. Hopefully I got her tone right. Typing Dave's text is such a pain because autocorrect tries SO HARD to capitalize things. the 'i's and all the contractions, just wow wow wow. But here it is!


	6. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day??? It's my birthday so I wanted to double-post! The only gifts I want are comments! Drop in and say hi! <3

You’re not really sure how you got roped into a party on Friday night. Not that it’s much of a party, really. It’s just yourself and your roommates, plus Aradia and a bottle of booze that her sister bought for her. Nevertheless, everyone is taking shots, and every time they do, you have one shoved in front of you as well, expected to follow along with their bad decisions. Then again, you haven’t put your foot down yet beyond your usual complaints, so you aren’t sure you’re allowed to judge here.

Sollux and Aradia are the first to leave the “party,” retiring to your room and closing the door behind them. You know from talking to Sollux this morning that he and ‘AA’ still have quite a bit of string left to untangle before they’ll be able to touch, so you know they’ll be up late talking and trying to work through their respective shit for hours. Looks like you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.

John and Dave seem caught up in some argument about… a comic, maybe? Something you’ve definitely never heard of, but John tries to argue that it’s shitty, and Dave sighs, rebuking that “that’s the point dude.” You tune back out, getting up to grab a soda out of the fridge and snagging the remote on your way back to your seat. Rolling your eyes, you scroll through the streaming service, picking the first thing that doesn't make you want to tear your hair out. 

Two hours and five shots later, and you're not quite sure how the conversation got here. The last thing you remember, John had asked you something about Sollux, then he'd started complaining about how he worries his soulmate won't like him. You watch numbly as Dave reaches out a tentative hand and places it on John's shoulder, reassuring him that "no, man, c'mon. Your soulmate is gonna love you, that's like, the point, right?" And there's something, something about that sentiment leaving Dave's mouth. Your happy buzz is gone in the blink of an eye, and you just. You fucking snap.

"You know, that's really fucking something coming from you, mister 'I just wasn't expecting such a shitty soulmate.'" Your voice dips down an octave in an attempt to match his apathy, but yours is colored by malice and hurt. Behind his glasses, Dave has the good sense to look taken aback. His head turns toward John for a brief second before turning back to you. Did John not know? Was Dave so fucking unhappy to be tied to you that he had actually kept it a secret from his "best bro?" Your rage is only growing by the second, and you're about ready to really scream at him, but he beats you to it.

"I didn't say that. That's not even kind of what I meant, dude." His voice is louder than you've heard it before, but still contained.

"Well then what the shit DID you mean, fuckstick, because that's sure what it sounded like from where I was standing." You don't have it in you to compose your voice. 

"I meant," he starts, and you get the impression he's maintaining eye contact from behind his shades, "that I wasn't expecting to find my soulmate, period. Not so early in my life anyway. I figured it would be a few more years before... You know." He shrugs, apparently running out of steam in the middle of taking. As you're mulling over that, Dave decides he isn't done.

"And dude I meant to have this conversation earlier, and, like, in private, but you're fucking impossible to pin down. The only time I ever really see you is at dinner time, but I was sort of trying to avoid having this whole blow-up in front of everyone."

"Yeah. That part was kind of intentional. It was pretty clear you wanted nothing to do with me, so I was trying to stay out of the way." 

"Well, that's not really the case. Sorry to break it to you, dude, but you're kind of stuck with me. So in the future, can we be goddamn adults, and at the very least act civil towards each other?"

"Yeah. I'll fucking try," you concede, and he cracks a smile. You feel your lip quirk up in response, and a tug draws your attention to your hands. You watch in wonder as two of the smaller knots (one on either side of the string) untangle themselves, the string seems to tighten the slack that the untangling creates, and physically pulls you towards Dave. The tug is surprising, but even more surprising is the lightness in your chest that follows it.

With a cough and a loaded glance, John pulls himself back into the conversation. 

"So, uh. What the fuck just happened? You guys are soulmates? Dave, why didn't you tell me?”

Pointedly, you look away, Glancing instead at your phone, where you've received messages from sollux. 

TA: What the fuck, KK, why diidn't y0u tell me y0u’d f0und y0ur s0ulmate? And iit's Dave??   
TA: Shiit d0es thiis mean we’re g0iing two be changing the r00m arrangements?  
CG: NO DUMBASS. DAVE AND I AREN'T EVEN FRIENDS.   
CG: LIKE YES WE'RE TETHERED AND ALL THAT BUT I'M NOT SWITCHING ROOMS FOR THAT IDIOT, DON'T WORRY.   
TA: 2ure KK, 2ure. Tell y0ur2elf that.  
CG: GOD YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE. JUST GO HANG OUT WITH ARADIA.

When you don’t get a response within a few minutes, you put your phone down, glancing backup. While you were texting, John and Dave seem to have moved on, playing some video game you don’t recognize. You slump off the couch and grab the abandoned bag of chips off the table, sprawling out on the living room floor, and holding your phone above your face as you pull up your web browser to kill time before your roommates go back to their own room.

When you wake up, it’s to John shaking your shoulder. You squint up at him, taking a second to gather your bearings. 

“What the fuck?” you demand, glancing around the darkened living room. You can hear someone shuffling around in the kitchen and the light of the fridge opening reveals that the couch is empty now.

“I figured you’d want to go to your own room, instead of sleeping on the floor.” John shrugs.

“Is Aradia still in there?”

“Uh, yeah, I never saw her leave.” His brows raise in concern.

“Thought so. Pass. I’ll sleep on the couch, thanks.” With that, you stand up and sway over to the piece of furniture and collapse onto it with a huff. John cocks his head at you, calling out “Hey, Dave, will you grab one of the extra blankets for Karkat?” 

He walks away with a wave, and a moment later, Dave comes into view, carrying a folded throw blanket. He unfolds it and flicks his wrists, allowing the plush red fabric to settle over you on the couch, and leaves with a nod and a quiet “There ya go, bro.”

For the first time, you find yourself thinking that having Dave as a soulmate might not be so bad after all.

\-----

Having Dave as a soulmate is the worst thing you can possibly imagine. You crack your eyes open to the bright fluorescent lights of the apartment, which would have been bad enough without the obnoxious rapping and inexplicable smell of burning both emanating from the kitchen. As you turn to get up off the couch, you have physically hold back a gag which your hangover is trying to insist you release.   
When you make it to the kitchen, you are overjoyed to find the coffee pot full. And when Dave notices your presence, he reaches up and grabs the biggest mug you’ve ever seen out of the cupboard, passing it to you without a word as he flips a pancake over at the stove. His rapping died down when you walked in, but he continues humming as he makes breakfast.


	7. Who the Fuck Doesn't Like Pancakes?

Everyone was having a good time. You and John had been just shooting the shit while Karkat watched some inane movie. (Was that a romcom? Seriously, what the fuck?) Then John decided to come out and spill his guts about how he’s worried his soulmate won’t like him, and what if he ends up alone and you don’t really know what to do with admissions like that. You’d awkwardly set your hand on his shoulder, saying the first thing you could think to reassure him. 

“No, man, c'mon. Your soulmate is gonna love you, that's like, the point, right?" 

And then suddenly Karkat piped up from his spot on the couch, cussing at you and calling you a hypocrite while simultaneously admitting that he’d completely misconstrued what you’d said during your previous conversation. You eye John warily for a moment before arguing back that, actually, you hadn’t meant that you were upset with the universe’s choice in your soulmate, but that you’d been caught off guard by meeting him so early in your respective lives. And, shit, you're having this conversation now, aren't you? Nevermind the fact that you haven't even found the nerve to tell John that you found your soulmate yet, the cat’s out of the bag now. 

Eventually, the conversation cools down and you agree to be civil toward each other. John, for his part, is a little dismayed that he was left out of the loop for so long, but lets it slide pretty quickly when you agree to play his favorite game for a while. Once you're settled in, Karkat sits up and reaches across the table to grab the chips, settling down on his back and playing on his phone. It doesn't take long for him to fall asleep, snoring lightly, his phone still lit up and illuminating the side of his face in a weird hue. 

After a while, John gets bored and decides he's done playing and when you glance at your phone, it informs you that it's well past midnight. With a shrug, you stand and gather up the dishes and what remains of the alcohol while John switches off the TV and puts away the game disc. You can hear John and Karkat talking quietly in the living room as you put the alcohol into the fridge, and John catches your eye on your walk toward your room, asking you to grab a blanket for Karkat, who is making himself comfortable on the couch. 

With a nod, you head into your room to do just that, and quickly realize that you don't know where John was keeping spare blankets. Shit. You hesitate a moment, but shrug and grab your own extra blanket from the foot of your bed. It hasn't gotten cold enough to use it yet, so it's still clean from your pre-move trip to the laundromat. Karkat looks pretty cozy by the time you get out to the living room with the throw, so before you can overthink it, you unfold the blanket and make a throwing motion, letting it settle naturally over Karkat. Was that weird? Fuck. Uhh.

"There ya go, Bro." You nod and abscond the fuck outta there. What the fuck was that? 

\-----

You’ve always been a “morning person,” whatever that even means, which comes in handy for school, but it’s a bitch on the weekends, when you have nothing to do. It sucks even worse when you didn’t even fall asleep until 3AM. Regardless, you wake up promptly at 8:30, no alarm needed. A quick glance over to John tells you that he isn’t waking up any time soon, and sitting around in your room sounds particularly shitty right now. So instead, you head to the kitchen, washing the dishes from last night and starting a pot of coffee. When that finishes disappointingly quickly, you pull out some pans and set out making pancakes from the batter mix in the cupboard. You’re only a few minutes into the task when you hear a shuffling noise behind you. With a quick glance back, you reach up and grab a large mug, passing it wordlessly to Karkat, who looks like he could use enough coffee to wake up a horse, and returning to the pancakes you were making. 

After a few minutes, you’ve managed to make a stack of pancakes that you think will be enough for two people, and you toss what’s left of the batter into the fridge for when your other roommates wake up. Grabbing the butter and syrup, you split the pancakes between two plates and set one in front of Karkat, who seems surprised by the action. His eyebrows furrow up and he squints at you, suspicious. 

“What? You don’t like pancakes? That’s fucking tragic, man, pancakes are great. I can’t believe you’d insult pancakes like this.” 

“Of course I like pancakes, you shitstain.” He rebukes, angrily grabbing for the syrup. You watch quietly as he dumps about a gallon of the stuff onto his pancakes, and aggressively cuts off a piece, cramming it into his mouth, as if to prove his point.

Smirking at his theatrics, you tuck silently into your own plate, tapping your fingers against the table along with the beat in your head. The relative silence lasts through all of breakfast.

"So what's your major?" You ask, breaking the silence before it has the chance to get awkward. Karkat glances up from his phone. 

"What the fuck does it matter to you?" His eyebrows lower in suspicion at your question.

"Dude, chill, I'm just trying to be friendly. We have to put up with each other for at least the next eight months." You don't add the end of that thought, which is an incredulous if not the rest of our fucking lives. Karkat raises one of his brows and lets out a sigh as if you just told him the worst news he's ever received. Which, hmm. You're not going to consider that. 

"I'm undeclared right now, technically. I'm taking a bunch of ELA and film classes, but who fucking knows if I'll actually be good enough to make a living out of that." His head is high, and his voice agitated, but there's a set to his shoulders that betrays his concern. Before you can stick your foot in your mouth, he seems to snap out of it, eyebrows settling back into their default position of annoyance.

"And you're studying the same thing as Aradia, right? Anthropology?" Huh, you didn't realize he knew that.

"Yeah, man. Dead shit's all sorts of cool. It's like you can see into the past." Karkat nods, but his expression implies that he doesn't really get what you mean. With a shrug, you decide to explain why you chose to study anthropology, only being interrupted nearly fifteen minutes later when John stumbles into the kitchen, yawning loudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kinda boring, sorry! Good stuff p soon, I swear!
> 
> Also not happy with the chapter title but I'll probably never get around to thinking of a better one so (shrug)


	8. Hello, hyperbole

Did Dave just make you pancakes? What the fuck? No, he probably just made too many by mistake, and you conveniently happened to be there. And your face must have given away your confusion, because suddenly, Dave is rambling, and defending pancakes. Is he really trying to accuse you of hating pancakes? Who the fuck hates pancakes?

“Of course I like pancakes, you shitstain.” You inform him, shoveling a bite into your mouth as if your mouth being full would stop his rambling. And it actually seems to placate him, because aside from drumming his fingers against the table, he shuts up and you both eat in almost silence. And it’s almost nice. Until he opens his mouth again. 

“So what’s your major?” Oh dear god, of course you have to have this conversation again. Why does everyone expect you to know your major? You only just started classes a week ago; can’t you just be undeclared without it being a federal fucking issue? What the fuck does it matter to him, anyway?

“Dude, chill, I'm just trying to be friendly. We have to put up with each other for at least the next eight months." Did you say that out loud? Oops. With a long-suffering sigh, you resign yourself to having to explain your undeclared ass once again.

“I'm undeclared right now, technically. I'm taking a bunch of ELA and film classes, but who fucking knows if I'll actually be good enough to make a living out of that." Hmm. Maybe that was a little bit too much info. 

“And you're studying the same thing as Aradia, right? Anthropology?" You add quickly, trying to divert attention from your accidental word vomit. That was apparently the right choice, because Dave suddenly lights up, talking about how 'dead shit is cool' and going on a long tangent about why he chose his major, how he feels connected to the past and studying artifacts comes naturally to him. And Jesus, can he talk for a long time. It feels like a year of his incessant blabbing later that John finally interrupts him, walking into the kitchen with a loud yawn. 

As he does, you and Dave both seem to simultaneously notice your positions. You're sitting at a chair at the small kitchen table, and he's leaning across, having subconsciously shifted his upper body to close some distance between you as he spoke. With a quiet 'oop,' he leans back, his own chair making a noise as he settles back into it. John doesn't seem to notice the motion, mumbling a 'hey' as he rubs the sleep from his eyes and pokes his head into the fridge. 

"Yo, there's pancake batter in there if you want some, the pan on the stove is ready to go. I'm gonna hit the shower if you guys don't mind." Dave says, glancing between you and John to give you a chance to argue for shower privileges. You shake your head, grabbing your own plate and Dave's and heading to the sink to wash them. 

"Thanks, Kitkat." He says, right as you turn on the water, and you have to fight not to snap and yell at him over the nickname, but you _do_ turn and scowl directly at him. You wish you would have missed the shit-eating grin he directed at you before he turned into his room. You roll your eyes as you turn back to the sink, pointedly ignoring the string on your finger, along with the curious look John is sending you. You thank every deity you’ve ever heard of when Aradia pokes her head out of you and Sollux’s room, closing the door quietly behind her and bouncing out of the dorm with a cheeky wave. You waste approximately no time in reclaiming the room, regardless of Sollux’s presence. He grumbles as you walk in, but otherwise neither of you has much to say.

For once, you’re grateful. Sollux isn’t the easiest guy to have as a best friend, but he _is_ generally good at judging when to leave you the fuck alone. As soon as you’re in your room, you grab your laptop, opening your Netflix in one tab, and your chat client in the other. Your fingers move deftly across the keyboard, and you hit send before you can think better of it. 

CG: WHAT THE FUCK  
GA: Yes Hello To You Too, Karkat.  
GA: Is There Something I Can Help You With?  
CG: HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO BE *NICE* TO MY DOUCHEBAG ROOMMATE?   
CG: LIKE I THOUGHT I COULD JUST GO THROUGH THE YEAR IGNORING HIM  
CG: BUT NOT ONLY IS HE A CAPITAL A ASSHOLE  
CG: HE’S ALSO MY FUCKING SOULMATE APPARENTLY?

There’s a weighty length of time before she replies, enough for you to begin to regret reaching out in the first place. Who are you kidding? You regretted messaging her as soon as you made the decision to turn on your laptop. Kanaya has her own issues to deal with at her fancy East coast design school. You’re halfway through typing an apology, admitting to just being an immature idiot, when her response beats you to the punch.

GA: What Happened? Did He Say Or Do Something To Upset You Specifically?  
GA: You Do Have A Tendency To Exaggerate, So Forgive Me If I’m Treating The Situation With Less Delicacy Than It Deserves.   
GA: But Is It Possible You Are Judging Prematurely?

You sigh upon reading her messages. Maybe you are the reigning champion of hyperbole, but you don’t really think you’re being too harsh here.

CG: KANAYA, THE FIRST CONVERSATION WE HAD, HE BASICALLY IMPLIED THAT HE WASN’T INTERESTED.   
CG: WE TALKED MORE LAST NIGHT, AND HE CLAIMS THAT THAT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING, BUT HE DIDN’T MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO MAKE AMENDS UNTIL I CALLED HIM OUT ON IT.  
CG: AND ANYWAY, EVEN IF THAT WERE THE MAIN ISSUE, HE’S CRYPTIC AS FUCK, AND LOOKS LIKE A FUCKING FRAT BOY.  
CG: PLUS HE LITERALLY NEVER SHUTS UP. HE’S LITERALLY THE MOST ANNOYING PERSON I’VE EVER MET. AND I’M INCLUDING MY BROTHER IN THAT ESTIMATE.

Ok, maybe he isn’t QUITE as bad as Kankri, but you had a point to make. Hello, hyperbole. Before you can get too caught up on that, Kanaya’s response calls your attention.

GA: Have You Had A Chance To Talk To Him Much Yet? Have You Untied Any Knots?  
CG: YES, ONE. WHAT DOES THAT MATTER?  
GA: Nothing Much, I Was Merely Curious. Perhaps You Ought To Stick With It, Though. At The Very Least, I Hear That The Untangling Process Can Be Quite Therapeutic.   
GA: If It Isn’t Too Much To Ask, Karkat, What Is His Name?  
CG: HIS NAME IS DAVE.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow surprise Jess still sucks at chapter titles. What's new?
> 
> Also this is the last chapter I have pre-written, so I'm super sorry if I fall behind on my updates after this week.


	9. Nightmare

When John walks into the kitchen, you fall back into your chair. When had you even leaned forward? Your voice sounds shaky to your own ears as you excuse yourself to shower, silently offering them the chance to object before absconding into your room to grab shower supplies. You, however, don't miss the opportunity to throw in a thank you to Karkat for taking care of the dishes you had dirtied, grinning at the look of pure disdain for the way you intentionally butchered his name.   
*****  
After your shower, you wander back into your shared room, closing the door behind you and settling at your desk. It’s still only the second week of classes, so you don’t have any coursework to do yet. With that realization, you open your laptop, plugging in your soundboard to try and work on mixing a new song, and promptly get distracted by your messenger service flashing at you, a purple that can only mean trouble.

TT: Hello, Dave.  
TG: yo rose whaddup  
TG: to what do i owe the honor of your (godlike) presence  
TG: you here to spit some sick beats  
TG: or maybe you wanted some awesome advice from your favorite cousin  
TT: Dave, you’re my only cousin, I hope you realize that.  
TT: Regardless, I was rather hoping to ask you more about your soulmate situation.  
TG: what about it  
TG: nothing to ask everything is great  
TG: see we got shit sorted out it was all a big misunderstanding  
TG: were all buddy buddy now  
TG: thanks for your concern though  
TT: While I am glad that you’ve sorted out your misunderstanding, I am still curious how you’re handling the gender situation. I know you’ve had your… qualms in the past regarding sexuality, and I am curious how this is impacting your outlook where that is concerned.  
TG: qualms?  
TG: jesus rose  
TG: i dont know i havent been thinking too hard about it  
TG: like for now im focusing more on the fact that i dont want to live in this dumb dorm for the rest of the year and have to walk on eggshells around one of my roommates  
TG: now were like sorta friends i guess  
TG: thats as far as ive gotten  
TT: Ok. Well it seems like you’re doing well so far, but what about when you are on friendly terms? Are you going to want to progress further? Is he?  
TT: Furthermore, what about untying the knots? Have you tried to sort anything out on that front yet?

You sigh, more than slightly annoyed by Rose’s line of questioning. But with a roll of your eyes, you remind yourself that the easiest way to get rid of her is to just be upfront, so you ignore the urge to spew bullshit at her. You know she’ll eventually win anyways. Might as well save yourself the time and headache.

TG: yeah man we got one  
TG: felt weird as all hell not gonna lie  
TG: and i dont know about later rose  
TG: i know you give me hella shit about my sexuality but i honestly have tried not to think about it up until this point and i dont really intend to change that  
TG: so if youre hoping for some big admission or coming out speech then youre wasting your time  
TT: That makes sense, I can understand not wanting to analyze it.  
TT: But Dave, you’re not doing yourself any favors by ignoring it. You’ll feel better if you can come to terms. Maybe you can talk to your soulmate about it. Perhaps he has similar concerns?  
TG: as always rose  
TG: thanks for the advice im probably never going to take

Hey, at least you’re honest. The rest of your conversation with Rose is relatively uneventful. She spends a good twenty minutes talking about her own soulmate, a girl who goes to her school, who she apparently met through an online book forum before meeting her in real life. You do your best to reply with enthusiasm, but the whole conversation wears you down, and you suspect that Rose can tell, somehow, because she ends the conversation with a promise to message you later and no extra nitpicking, or reminders to think about your sexuality. You can’t bring yourself to care, instead laying down with your laptop, putting a playlist on shuffle and closing your eyes.

When you wake up, the first thing you notice is the lack of light. The second is that you're _drenched_ in sweat. In flashes and fragments, the dream comes back to you, making you cringe back against your pillow. The glaring heat of the sun, beating down on the concrete and glinting into your oh-so-sensitive eyes as you stare at where your shades skidded across the rooftop. The shocked silence, broken only by your own haggard breaths, and the distant call of a crow. The tremble of your hand, threatening to give away the fear you try so hard to bury beneath layers of cool. You shake your head, fingers absently tracing the raised scar along your hip as you pointedly push away the rest of that memory in favor of glancing around your dorm, eyes catching on John's Slimer alarm clock, green LED numbers reading 6:18. 

Rubbing your hands over your face, you sit upright, closing your laptop, which has long since darkened its display. You fumble across the room on tired feet, flicking the light switch on and clenching your eyes against the sudden brightness. As you become more alert, you begin to notice the sounds of your dorm. The TV is playing and Sollux cackles at something. You listen harder and you can hear John singing ‘How do I Live’ from the kitchen. As his singing inevitably grows in volume, Karkat speaks up, warning John in no uncertain terms of what will happen if he doesn't shut up. Eyes roaming across your scarred hands, it hits you that you’ll be spending the next almost-year with the dumbasses on the other side of the door, and you can't help but smile at the thought, already feeling your heart rate slow from its panicked race, the steadier beat soothing you enough that when you reach down for the doorknob, you can't be bothered to wipe the smile off your face. You join your roommates, plopping onto the couch and leaning in to watch whatever inane show is on the agenda for tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh Im so happy with the paragraph describing Dave's nightmare, it's the prettiest thing I've written in a while. I'm probably gonna take a break from posting next week, because Christmas.


End file.
